Cox 8240HDC DVR

[typedink]

I just got a bundle with cox that included tv, so we got a 8240HDC box with 20 hrs of HD recording... that is just not enough. I have searched and read about adding an external HD and well I had a 500GB WD MY BOOK laying around so I decided to just try it.

I at first had to go and get a eSata enclosure and remove the hard drive from the WD casing since it does not have for a eSata cable. I connected it to the 8240HDC and it recognized it and formatted and all seemed great. Well tonight I recorded two shows, and tried to watch some live HD tv and this is when the issues began. I could not watch a HD channel or recording because it would lag and freeze and get all choppy. Not even the live programing would work right, all the same issues occurred. If I disconnect the external hard drive all works well again, but I don't want to disconnect it lol, I want more space. I am looking into an official hard drive expander but my question is, if this hard drive I tried fails in this way does it mean no matter what the expander wont work? Could it be the hard drive I tried is not up to spec to work with my Scientific Atlanta 82040HDC DVR? I read about others using regular hard drives in a eSata enclosure, and others using official DVR expanders. Does it really matter? Does it come down to which drive your using?

The drive I was using was a WD Book Essentials model # WD5000c037.

Any help, advice is appreciated. This is again a Scientific Atlanta 8240HDC in the Phx Area being used with Cox Cable.

Thanks.